<p>“As I’ve tried to show, it doesn’t take a huge boost in the child’s income to justify extra cost in the long run. And, that is without considering the intangible benefits of a more desireable (sic) college experience.”</p>
<p>The jury is out on whether attending an elite university provides any boost to income, when earnings of comparable students are measured.</p>
<p>What constitutes a desirable college experience varies quite a bit from student to student. Not every student wants to the most selective university they might enter. That’s a common (and to my mind, very narrow) way of looking at the choice. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t presume to leap to any conclusions about how much parents love their children based on their financial decisions about college. Have you considered that parents who plan sensibly for their own retirement, in balance with the concerns of the rest of the family, are less likely to saddle their beloved children with costs of their care in age and infirmity?</p>